shoggoth
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Artificial intelligence, especially a large language model, with a relatable user-facing persona but an incomprehensible and potentially scary interior.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
The executive explained that the Shoggoth had become a jokey reference among workers in artificial intelligence, as a vivid visual metaphor for how a large language model (the type of A.I. system that powers ChatGPT and other chatbots) actually works.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “shoggoth” mean?
Artificial intelligence, especially a large language model, with a relatable user-facing persona but an incomprehensible and potentially scary interior.
Is “shoggoth” formal or informal?
shoggoth is generally slang.